Impact on the Distribution Grid Due to the Introduction of Electric Vehicles on Fernando de Noronha Island (Brazil)

Abstract Increasing global temperatures over the past years have become a worry. To mitigate this, countries have set out to decrease their greenhouse gas emissions soon. A major contributor to these emissions has been the transport sector. Electric mobility has appeared as an opportunity to decarbonize this sector. With this in mind, Fernando de Noronha Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has determined to ban all fossil fuel vehicles by 2030. Understanding the impact electric vehicles can have on the island's distribution grid is fundamental to achieving this goal. To determine these impacts, electrical vehicle chargers were added to the model of the island's power system in GridLad-D. Apart from these chargers, the impact of adding an extra carport charger fitted with solar panels was also determined. In total, six different charging scenarios were simulated, with each varying the period in which vehicle charging was allowed to take place. The impacts were determined for the day, afternoon, and night charging, with and without the presence of a carport. The parameters measured include system power demand, voltage, and total losses. From the results, it was possible to determine the charging strategy that causes the least and most impact on the system's distribution grid.

Overview and Future Challenges on the Connection of Electric Vehicles into Modern Distribution Power Systems

Abstract Distribution systems worldwide have suffered profound alterations to their passive historic characteristic in the last decade due to the ever-increasing installation of distributed generators. Nowadays, it is consensual among researchers and utilities that soon most of the investments in distribution networks will be towards the materialization of smart-grids, which implies even more drastic impacts on the grid operation. In this new context, distributed generators, energy storage systems, electric vehicles and other types of resources will operate in coordination with technologies such as internet of things and big data, in an even more active distribution grid under a decentralized electricity market. Thus, it is fundamental to develop the means to control such an interactive power grid, including technologies, products, and ideas. Although several articles have been published addressing this topic, each country's distribution grids have their peculiarities, and so should the proposals for smart-grid implementation on each of them. In this sense, it is crucial investigating what has already been proposed and implemented in the Brazilian smart-grid context to forecast and formulate the next steps on this topic. Smart-grid comprises several fields, in this paper we focus on the electric vehicle branch, providing a review of the subject under the Brazilian context. Additionally, the paper addresses the development of technologies, electricity market regulation, and strategic business models under the current scenario and a near-future perspective.

Optimal Dispatch and Technical and Economic Feasibility Analysis of Residential Microgrids Considering Demand Side Management

Abstract The electrical system is becoming more robust with the insertion of distributed energy resources (DERs) and the need for energy autonomy by consumers, given that the current scenario is a growth in demand for electric energy. This paper aims to apply a computational model capable of determining the optimal hourly allocation of controllable loads in residence, as well as studying the optimal dispatch of residential microgrids considering management on the demand side. In addition, this paper presents an economic feasibility analysis of residential microgrids considering distributed generation from wind and solar sources, distributed storage, electric vehicles, and residential controllable loads. Thus, it was possible to conclude that in residence, the insertion of distributed energy generation and storage elements can present a significant reduction in electric energy costs, which can be even greater if these elements are associated with optimized controllable load management.

Integration of a Pilot PV Parking Lot and an Electric Vehicle in a University Campus Located in Curitiba: a Study Case

Abstract Considering the increasing adoption of Hybrid Plug-in and Electric Cars, there are concerns about recharging process of these vehicles considering the capacity of grid to provide sufficient energy to that purpose. In the past years, the growth of distributed energy generation from renewable and clean energy sources, especially photovoltaics, represents a possible and feasible solution to supply the energy used on recharging electric vehicles and reduction of greenhouse emission gases as CO2. This article is a study case that analyzes the energy production of a solar carport, located at Federal Technological University of Paraná (UTFPR) at Neoville Campus, comparing with energy consumption of a commercial electric car for a city use purpose. Based on solar energy generation, data from the web monitoring platform, real positioning characteristics of the solar carport installation, irradiation data collected from the National Institute of Meteorology basis and with a solarimetric station located at the same place as the solar carport is installed, the solar energy production is rated using three different metrics: yield, performance ratio and capacity factor. These metrics are calculated with RADIASOL2 software, a free and precise tool, developed by Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) to execute computational simulation of photovoltaic systems using mathematical models. The results showed a slightly low energy production performance than expected, but more than enough energy to recharge an electric vehicle for a day use, demonstrating that a solar carport system could be a good solution to meet the energy demand for this application.

Converting a Conventional Vehicle into an Electric Vehicle (EV)

Abstract The electric vehicle (EV) is not a recent invention. Between the end of the XIX century and the beginning of the XX century, most motor vehicles were electric, due to their superior reliability and cleanliness, compared to that of vehicles driven by internal combustion engines (ICE). However, with the development of ICEs and the reduction of their price, electric cars were forgotten. Only almost a century later, they returned in the market due to a significant increase in fossil fuels prices, as well as to a growing environmental concern. EVs present a number of advantages over ICE vehicles: they are simpler and require less use and replacement of parts, resulting in lower maintenance costs; moreover, they do not release pollutants into the environment. However, their production cost is still much higher than that of ICE vehicles. In order to verify the possibility of converting a conventional vehicle into an electric one at a reasonable cost, achieving a good performance and a good kWh/km ratio, an ICE-powered Mercedes-Benz Class A 190 was converted into an EV. The results of several tests indicate that the conversion is feasible, as the car reached an average travelling cost of 0.16 R$/km, assuming a price for the energy of 0.63 R$/kWh. Moreover, this cost could be as low as zero if solar radiation is utilized to generate electricity through photovoltaic panels, which is an even more environmentally sustainable solution..

Analysis of the Impacts of the Electrification of the Vehicle Fleet in the Electric Power System in Curitiba

ABSTRACT The Market share of electrical vehicles has been rising in the past few years and tends to rise even more. According to the International Energy Agency, an increase of 50% in the number of electrical vehicles is expected. Whilst that increase is beneficial from a greenhouse gases emissions drop point of view, that rise could, on the other hand, represent a major increase in the electrical power consumption. Besides, other problems such as harmonics and overloads could emerge from the massive connection of electrical vehicles to the electrical grid. Therefore, it is necessary to perform studies and simulations in order to estimate those problems and to mitigate the problems related to the inevitable expansion of the electric vehicle fleet in the near future. The present work intends to run simulations so as to identify the main effects of the electrification of the vehicular fleet in the city of Curitiba, as well as understand how the provision of ancillary services through the electrical vehicles can help in the process.

Review on applications of electric ehicles in the countryside / Revisão de aplicações de veículos elétricos no meio rural

ABSTRACT: This paper presents the main applications of electric vehicles in rural areas, pointing out the trends and challenges for the future. Technological conditions and difficulties faced by the industry for a wide dissemination of this technology are discussed. The paper described the main researches with proposals to overcome the problems of implementing electric tractors, as supply and electricity storage. Technical and economic comparisons between conventional internal combustion tractors and electric tractors are also presented and discussed. The paper showed the existence of barriers to the implementation of electric vehicles in rural areas, as well as the need for batteries technological evolution, which have high costs and for that reason they are very heavy for these purposes, but there are already systems that can be applied to minimize dependence of fossil fuels in this sector and increase the use of sustainable energy.

RESUMO: Este artigo apresenta as principais aplicações de veículos elétricos no meio rural, apontanto as tendências e mudanças futuras. O trabalho discute também as condições tecnológicas e dificuldades enfrentadas pelo setor industrial para a inserção do veículo elétrico no mercado. São apresentados os principais pesquisadores da área com propostas para superar os problemas da implementação dos tratores elétricos, tais como abastecimento e armazenamento de energia elétrica. As comparações técnicas e econômicas entre tratores convencionais, a combustão interna, e tratores elétricos são apresentadas e discutidas. A revisão mostra a existência de barreiras para a implantação dos veículos elétricos no meio rural, como a necessidade de evolução tecnológica das baterias, que apresentam alto custo e ainda são pesadas para este propósito, mas mostra também que já existem sistemas que podem minimizar a dependência de compubstíveis fóceis do setor e aumentar o uso de energia sustentável.